B-Side Guys

Departure anxiety crystallizes into musical form when leaving becomes the central creative tension. Joytrip’s “I Wanna Stay” operates as counterargument to their own EP title “leaving state,” creating internal conflict that drives both the song’s emotional core and its instrumental choices. This Iowa City quartet has discovered something valuable in the space between wanting to go and needing to remain.

Michael Schodin’s vocal delivery carries the weight of genuine indecision rather than performative angst. His phrasing suggests someone actively wrestling with competing impulses, each word measured against the consequences of choosing permanence over possibility. The “electric-folk” designation makes perfect sense within this context—traditional songwriting frameworks electrified by contemporary uncertainty about home, movement, and belonging.

Eddie Hochman’s guitar and trumpet combination provides crucial textural diversity that mirrors the song’s thematic complexity. The trumpet particularly serves as emotional punctuation, adding brass warmth that makes the folk elements feel more substantial without overwhelming Schodin’s introspective approach. Mitchell Wisniewski’s bass work creates foundation sturdy enough to support this exploration without forcing resolution.

Bennett Shapiro’s drumming demonstrates understanding of when restraint serves songs better than virtuosity. The rhythm section supports the track’s contemplative mood while maintaining enough forward momentum to keep listeners engaged rather than sedated. This balance reflects the band’s description of creating “welcoming, honest and colorful sounds”—music that invites participation without demanding it.

The “experienced concurrence of our time” that Joytrip mentions in their materials manifests clearly here. “I Wanna Stay” captures something specific about contemporary relationship to place—how modern mobility creates constant choice between staying and leaving, making every location decision feel simultaneously permanent and temporary.

As third track from their new EP, the song suggests a band confident enough in their identity to explore contradiction without forcing resolution. Sometimes the most honest artistic statement is admitting you don’t know what you want, then making beautiful music from that uncertainty.